[ABO] The Despised One Becomes an Internet Sensation After Marriage - Chapter 27

Chapter 27

“Five million, sold! Congratulations!”

The auctioneer’s gavel struck with a definitive thud. Several people around them stood up to congratulate Fu Shiyan.

“Congratulations, President Fu.” “President Fu has such elegant taste.”

Fu Shiyan replied indifferently, “My wife simply liked it.”

Xu Zhimian snapped back to reality. Hearing this, he was stunned. He whispered, “What did you buy?”

To be honest, he hadn’t even looked at the auction catalog. He knew nothing about the items—how could there be any talk of “liking” it?

Fu Shiyan kept a cold face and looked straight ahead, ignoring him completely.

“…” Thinking Shiyan hadn’t heard, Zhimian was about to repeat himself when a famous producer sitting next to Fu Shiyan joked, “I never thought I’d see the day Shiyan would drop a fortune just to win a smile from a beauty.”

Fu Shiyan replied, “Uncle Chen, you flatter me,” his expression softening considerably.

Xu Zhimian pursed his lips. Oh, right. I forgot. This Lord is still mad at me.

As the two chatted, the conversation drifted back to Xu Zhimian.

“…I happened to see two photos of Xiao Xu a few days ago, and his aura perfectly matches a character in my new script,” Director Chen said, finally getting to the point. “I wonder if Xiao Xu has any interest in filming a movie?”

Director Chen was a legend in the industry, having produced several Best Actor and Best Actress winners. Xu Zhimian was flattered and instinctively looked at Fu Shiyan for a reaction.

Fu Shiyan didn’t even give him a sidelong glance, acting as if Zhimian didn’t exist.

“…” Xu Zhimian replied respectfully, “Thank you for the kind offer, Director Chen. But if the opportunity arises, I would prefer to pass an audition in front of you properly.”

He didn’t want to rely on the “Fu Shiyan” connection.

“Hahaha, you kid! Shiyan, your little one is quite interesting,” Chen Shulin laughed heartily. “Don’t worry, I don’t mean for you to bring funding to the set. I mean, are you interested in auditioning? Whether you can handle the role still depends on yourself.”

Xu Zhimian’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Ah, is that true? Thank you, Director Chen! But if it’s in the near future, I might not have an open slot in my schedule…”

It was Chen Shulin’s first time being rejected like this. Usually, stars were overjoyed by his invitations. No one used “scheduling conflicts” as an excuse. However, he wasn’t angry. “Oh? What are you busy with lately?”

Xu Zhimian answered honestly, “I’m on a variety show with Mr. Fu.”

Chen Shulin had heard of the “Couple Show” that was constantly trending. He teased, “Oh—so you just don’t want to leave Shiyan’s side. Don’t worry, the audition is next month. It won’t interfere with you two being inseparable.”

Being teased like this by a senior was a rare experience for him. As a child, he only had his grandmother; now, he rarely interacted with the Xu family. Suddenly, a soft pink blush crept from his neck to his face.

Seeing him blush, Chen Shulin’s smile deepened. “Hahaha, you’re a fun kid. I won’t tease you anymore. Just remember to show up for the audition on time.”

…

The “Painful” Confession

After the auction, they drove home. Xu Zhimian glanced at Fu Shiyan’s still-frozen expression and knit his brows. He let out a sharp “hiss,” clutching his stomach with a look of agony.

The Maybach screeched to a halt at the curb.

Fu Shiyan finally turned around, gripping Zhimian’s shoulder, his voice laced with panic. “What’s wrong?”

Xu Zhimian curled up tightly, his lower lip bitten white, his voice weak: “Si… Sir.”

“I’m here.”

“Can… can you…”

“I can,” Fu Shiyan straightened up and started the engine. “Stop talking. I’m taking you to the hospital.”

Seeing the plan go off the rails, Zhimian quickly grabbed the Alpha’s arm. “Sir, that’s not what I meant.”

Fu Shiyan looked at him, confused. “Hmm?”

“Come closer. I… I have something to say to you.” Xu Zhimian’s face was pale and his brow was furrowed in pain. This fragile, sickly look reminded Fu Shiyan of the Rain and Jasmine painting. Feeling a sudden pang of anxiety, he leaned over. “…What is it?”

Xu Zhimian pressed against his ear and whispered softly, “Sir…”

“I lied. I’m fine!” Xu Zhimian suddenly pulled Fu Shiyan into a tight hug, the pain on his face vanishing instantly. He locked Fu Shiyan in his arms, his eyes dancing with the joy of a successful prank. “…Sir, why were you angry tonight?”

“…” The faint scent of jasmine from the Omega swirled around Fu Shiyan’s nose. Seeing the brilliant smile on Zhimian’s face, his unease and irritation dissipated. The Gu Xingchen matter suddenly seemed trivial. He said calmly, “You really don’t know?”

The Omega thought it over. “But Gu Xingchen and I just had a very normal employer-employee relationship.”

Fu Shiyan said gloomily, “We once had a very ‘normal’ employer-employee relationship, too.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Fu Shiyan froze. How did I end up saying something so jealous?

Xu Zhimian didn’t miss it. He arched an eyebrow. “Sir, are you jealous?”

Fu Shiyan lowered his eyes and remained silent. Xu Zhimian noticed his shoulders tense up and refused to let him off the hook, whispering repeatedly in his ear, “Sir, are you jealous? Are you?”

“…” Fu Shiyan raised his hand to cover Zhimian’s mouth to silence him. Xu Zhimian’s eyes met Shiyan’s dark gaze as the Alpha said deeply, “I do not allow infidelity during marriage. That includes emotional infidelity.”

Fu Shiyan had said this on the day they registered their marriage, and Zhimian remembered it vividly. He also remembered when he went to film Heartbeat Non-Stop, Fu Shiyan thought he was going there to find an old benefactor. It was funny, actually… wait, Gu Xingchen was also on that show.

Could it be that Fu Shiyan thought he had been “sponsored” by Gu Xingchen?

Suddenly, Fu Shiyan’s palm was licked by something warm and soft. Xu Zhimian’s fingertips trailed up his forearm, the touch light, itchy, and numbing.

Fu Shiyan dazedly let go.

Xu Zhimian toyed provocatively with Shiyan’s tie. “Sir, you don’t think… Gu Xingchen was my former benefactor, do you?”

Seeing his thoughts exposed, Fu Shiyan wasn’t annoyed. He rested his hand on Zhimian’s waist, rubbing it firmly. “So what if I do?”

Xu Zhimian understood but didn’t defend himself. Instead, he asked, “Can President Fu not accept my past? Or is it that you’re just… purely jealous?”

Xu Zhimian was stubborn; he always demanded an answer. His previous rejections hadn’t taught him a lesson, but thinking of how those beautiful eyes would dim whenever he pushed him away, Fu Shiyan faltered. After a moment, he rubbed Zhimian’s soft, fluffy hair and dodged the question. “…Why does a ‘kid’ ask so many questions?”

This was the same way Chen Shulin had addressed him, but hearing it from Fu Shiyan’s lips—no less than when he called him “wife” in bed—made Zhimian’s heart flutter.

Fu Shiyan’s deep voice was cheating…

A surge of heat rushed to Xu Zhimian’s face. He subconsciously ignored the fact that Shiyan hadn’t actually answered him. He pulled his hand back as if stung and looked straight ahead, his tone unnatural. “Who’s a kid? I’m… this big already.”

Fu Shiyan pinched his cheek, teasing him, “…Not a kid? Then why are you like a walking ‘100,000 Whys’?”

“…” Once the heat in his face faded, Xu Zhimian replayed the conversation in his mind. He felt a sweetness in his heart, and a smile unconsciously touched his lips.

If Fu Shiyan was this sweet when just “playing along,” how intense would it be if he truly loved someone? His smile faded slightly, replaced by a pang of bitterness.

Back when Fu Shiyan and Qi Qingran were together… they must have been the envy of everyone.

…

The Second Stop: Ethnic Village

The second stop of 21 Days was about to begin. It required almost no promotion; the first episode’s edit featured Xu Zhimian in several viral moments—the bartender and the valet, the fall into the water, the plagiarism reveal. He dominated short-form video platforms.

Moreover, a few days ago, Xu Zhimian had personally sent a lawyer’s letter and tagged Jiang Xiaocheng. Now, the comparison between the two songs was being shared everywhere. Jiang Xiaocheng’s silence made public opinion swing almost entirely in Zhimian’s favor.

The second location was in an ethnic minority autonomous prefecture.

Fu Shiyan and Xu Zhimian were the first to arrive at the village. They sat outside a wooden courtyard which featured a large wooden swing. It could easily fit two people. Xu Zhimian’s eyes lit up, and he looked at Fu Shiyan.

“Want to sit?” Xu Zhimian nodded. “Let’s go.”

[Live Comments]:

Wuuu, finally filming again! Haven’t seen Mianmian in days, I missed him.

Forgive me for having a dirty mind, but ever since that bartender/valet part, everything they do looks like sexual tension.

Support Mianmian! I’ve been annoyed with Jiang Xiaocheng for a long time. Acting like a big shot on shows—I was wondering how someone like that could be a mentor!

Why sue now and not before? Is it because he’s famous now and wants to use this for hype and to wash his image?

The crew happened to hand over a phone, and Xu Zhimian’s eyes landed on that last comment. His hand paused. Fu Shiyan took the phone from him and saw the screen filled with that specific sentiment.

He frowned and said coldly to the camera, “Why is your focus not on plagiarism and copyright disputes? The point is whether Jiang Xiaocheng plagiarized. Please do not deviate from the core issue.”

Indeed, because Jiang Xiaocheng hadn’t responded, some marketing accounts had started claiming Xu Zhimian was self-directing this drama for heat. If enough people read those scripts, they’d believe them.

Xu Zhimian gazed blankly at Fu Shiyan. The Alpha looked stern, seemingly furious at the comments. He’s getting angry for me, Zhimian thought, a smile tugging at his lips.

Lu Ze and Ye Ming were the second to arrive. On camera, Ye Ming returned to his “pixie-like” cute persona, sticking close to Lu Ze and grumbling, “I told you not to stay at a hotel, but you insisted. Now look—you lost your ID!”

Lu Ze coaxed him gently, “Right, right, wifey. It won’t happen again. Don’t be mad, wifey.”

Having not seen them for a few days, the Lu Ze who was “cooking at home” while his wife was “partying” was gone, replaced by a man blinded by love.

Just then, Xu Zhimian’s smile froze. A chill swept over his face as he saw the next person enter.

The newcomer wore a beige short-sleeved shirt and khaki vintage overalls. He had a small, round face, but his eyes were set too close together, giving his features an unlikable quality.

[Live Comments]: Holy crap! The directors really know how to cause trouble!

The director introduced: “This is our special guest for this episode, Jiang Xiaocheng.”

In an instant, four pairs of eyes snapped toward him at once.